


Patient Care

by Liamb35



Series: Accidental Love [1]
Category: Grey's Anatomy, Grey's Anatomy: B-Team (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Atticus Lincoln is the best wingman, Fluff, Happy Nico, Levi Schmitt needs a hug, M/M, Nico Kim is kinda oblivious, Prequel, Protective Nico, Sharing a Bed, patient!levi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:00:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29518440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liamb35/pseuds/Liamb35
Summary: Levi Schmitt get hit by a car, falls for a Doctor, and then starts his residency at the hospital. What could go wrong?COMPLETED
Relationships: Nico Kim/Levi Schmitt
Series: Accidental Love [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2171670
Comments: 22
Kudos: 35





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ!  
> In my story, to break it up, I have added a certain amounts of *.  
> * * * * * means a change in POV  
> * * * means a time skip

It took just one second. One second for that car to smash into me. You don’t really expect it, a car to slam into you at speed while you are walking on the sidewalk at night, just trying to get home. I don’t really remember what happened next. It was just pain. All over. Everywhere. I remember hitting the floor and then nothing. 

Then there was lights. Bright white lights that hurt my eyes. People fussing and looking down. The faint, rhythmic beeping. I was in a hospital.  
“He has massive abdominal bleeding,”  
“And this leg is shattered,”  
“Call up the OR, tell them we are on our way,”

The next thing I remember is more bright lights. They still hurt.  
“Sir. Sir, can you tell me your name?” Someone asked. A woman.  
“Levi. Levi Schmitt,” I croaked out, groggily.  
“Levi, you were hit by a car. You had massive internal injuries to the abdomen, and you hit your head pretty hard. We will need to do a head CT, but we can do that later. My concern right now is the leg. It was hit pretty bad, so we will need to do another surgery to try and fix it, although we might need to amputate,” A different person explained. A man I think.  
I don’t think it really hit me until a few seconds after.  
“You might need to cut off my leg?” I asked. I can’t lose my leg, I need my leg. “You can’t cut off my leg, I start my residency in a few months. I need my leg to be a surgeon!”. Unknowingly, tears began welling up in my eyes.  
“It is only as a last resort,” The man reassured.  
And then I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

We started moving soon after. I didn’t bother opening my eyes. I knew there would be just lights, and I don’t want to stare straight up at lights. I wanted just to sleep. Then I was lifted, then tubes, and needles, and then a mask. I took a few deep breaths in and went back to sleep. 

There was shouting from outside my room. The doctors were arguing. It was the 2 people from before. I turned my head slightly, and opened my eyes. I didn’t know what they were arguing about, but I heard my name. They came in before long, together with someone else. I didn’t know who this person was.  
“Mr Schmitt, there was a complication during surgery. The leg was too far gone. We had to amputate the beg below the knee,” The first guy said. I recognised the first guy from his voice. And I started crying. I didn’t mean to. Not entirely sure I wanted to, although it happened.  
“We di-,” The first guy started.  
“We did everything we could and we are so sorry. Yeah, I know what you were going to say,” I snapped back. “I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to it’s just a lot.”  
“It’s fine, it is a lot to process, and we will help you through the process,” the other guy told me. He seems nice.  
“Thanks. Can I just sleep for a bit, I’m so tired,” I said, eyes heavy. 

“Mr Schmitt,” I heard, as I was being shaken awake. It was the second guy. “I’m not sure we have been properly introduced. My name is Dr. Nico Kim.  
“Levi Schmitt. Call me Levi.”

“Dr. Shepherd says we need to get you a head CT on our way to go a fit you with a temporaryprosthetic, so we can get you up and moving. You'll get a proper prosthetic in a few months. ” Nico said. I began shuffling out of bed, and I went to step, and then I realised I didn’t have a leg from below the knee. I lost balance, and began falling.  
It was Nico who caught me. His arm wrapped around my waist. He lifted me back up, and helped my into the chair. As he pushed me to the CT room, I tried hard to cover my blush. Did that really happen? That was embarrassing. 

Before I knew it, we were at the room. Nico helped me onto the table bed thing, and I got in position. The bed moved, and I began looking up at the inside of a CT machine. 

The prosthesis appointment went… bad. It’s difficult, and when I tried to walk, that went even worse. I fell, and it hurt so badly. Not physically, emotionally. I just cried, again and again and I couldn’t stop. Choking sobs, tears just rolling.  
“Levi-,” The person that did the prosthesis started.  
“GET OUT!” I screamed, still sobbing. I tried to pull off the prosthetic, but in my emotional state, I couldn’t. 

Without a word, Nico came over and took it off. He wrapped his hand around my shoulder, and I just cried into his chest. I just cried. 

“Levi… you have a brain tumour. It is located in the occipital lobe. While it is not a problem right now, before long it will hinder your eyesight. It needs to be removed.” The brain doctor, Dr. Shepherd said.  
“Great, I have 1 and a half legs and a brain tumour in the place that controls eyesight, just my luck.” I replied, pretty snarkily.  
“Levi, Dr. Shepherd is the best there is,” Nico assured.  
“How soon can you do the surgery?”

“Hey Nico!” I called out from my room. “I just wanted to apologise for earlier. I made your scrubs all wet and I-”  
“Levi, it’s fine. You got hit by a car, and lost half your leg all in one day. You have a right to be sad, and cry, so it’s fine. I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”

* * * * *

“Oh Levi, we will help you throughout this difficult process,” Link mocked.  
“Shut up,” I replied sarcastically.  
“Just admit it, you find him cute,” Link replied with a smirk. “As a doctor, I need you to not have feelings for a patient, but as your friend, as soon as he is discharged, nobody can stop you.”  
“I- What are you talking about? I’m don’t have feelings, and I won’t develop them either,” I replied, pretty flustered.  
“Sure Nico, or should I say… Dr. Denial,”


	2. Sutures and Sure Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd just like to say thank you for all the love just in the first chapter I posted only yesterday. To some, it is only 2 comments, and a few kudos, but not to me. The fact that 2 people took the time to comment that they like the story means everything ti me, so thank you so much for all the love.

It is just propped up against the chair. That temporary prosthetic. I can’t get a proper one for at least 6 months. You know, the swelling and stuff. That prosthetic isn’t that bad thing. It pinches, sure, but the problem is that every morning. And I mean, every morning, Dr Shepherd, or one of the stupid interns, drag me out of bed, puts that thing on and tries to get me to the chair. No matter how hard I fight, or hit them. 

Early ambulation. Or torture. I can’t decide which is more accurate. I’m leaning more towards torture. Especially because it is very early in the morning, and in case you didn’t know, I have a big ball of cells in my brain, in the part of my brain that controls eyesight. All the fun things.   
Fun fact, brain tumors cause fatigue, especially at 7am in the morning. I just want to sleep. And then I sleep, and then after wards, the ortho fellow, Dr. Nico Kim, who is not hard on the eyes, comes and checks the stump of my leg. Then I just lay there, with my medical books, looking over case studies, preparing for my residency. The suturing kit, with pretend flesh and incisions. I have gotten pretty fast. By the time I start my internship at Grey Sloan, I will be able to sew up a head lac faster than anyone else in my residency. 

Wait… Where am I? What hospital is this? They probably told me, but I was too busy hurting all over. 

As fate would have it, Dr. Kim passed my room.   
“Dr. Kim!” I called out, waving him down.   
“Yeah Levi?” He asked with that smile. THAT smile. You know, the smile that sort of melts your heart. That contagious sort of smile. NO LEVI. You cannot think like that.   
“What hospital is this?” I asked.   
“Grey Sloan.”   
“Huh-” I am at the hospital that I start my residency at. I- WHAT?! “Out of all the hospitals, I had to be treated in the one hospital I start my residency at.”  
“Yeah I know, I filed your application,” Nico laughed.   
“Well why didn’t you tell me!” I asked, feigning hurt, but with a subtle smile.  
“For all I know there could be a lot of people with the name Levi Schmitt who graduated from medical school months early and then got hospitalised and look that good in a hospital gown,” Nico replied to me, biting back a laugh. 

And then we just burst out laughing. Wait. Did he just compliment me? No, surely not. There is no way someone sculpted from the gods would compliment me. 

Then his pager went off.   
“UGH!” Nico groaned. “I’ll be back later, you know if you want someone to help you with your suturing. If you want.”  
“I’d like that,” I replied with a smile. “Now go, you’ve been paged.” After that, Nico ran out the room, waving as he went. And back to suturing I went. 

* * * * * 

“He’s going to be an intern soon!” I said, trying to contain my excitement.   
“Yeah, I know, you told me literally 3 sentences ago,” Link chuckled, at my excitement. “Wait… you really like him!”   
“I… do not,” I replied, trying to contain the very obvious fact that I does like the cute patient soon to be intern.   
“You so do,” Link retorted, making both of us chuckle. 

With a scoff, I turned and walked back to Levi’s room. He was suturing again.   
“Looks good,” I said from the door. His head snapped up. “Can I try?”   
“Sure,” Levi replied, handing me the suture kit.   
I proceeded to sew up one of the little cuts.   
“Wow! That was so fast, and perfect! How did you do that?” Levi asked in astonishment  
“A lot of practice. I can help you practice, and by the time your finished here, and start your residency, you’ll be the best in your class.”  
“I’d like that.” 

We practiced for hours. I watched as Levi got faster and better, and just as we finished, my pager went off. 911. As I ran off, I heard Levi say a quiet thank you. Damn. He makes me happy.

* * *

Nights in hospital are kinda creepy. Even for doctors. Nights in hospital in the middle of a storm being one of the only doctors on call is creepier. Nights in a hospital during a storm being one of the only people on call when there is a screaming patient is far far creepier. WAIT. A screaming patient? 

I ran, in the direction of the scream. It echoed down the hallways. Upon further inspection, it was Levi who was screaming. I burst into his room.  
“What’s wrong? Is it your leg?” I asked worried.   
“No it’s not my leg,” Levi said. “I… I had a nightmare. I don’t like storms or lightning.” He continued pretty embarrassed.   
With a considerate smile, I moved around his bed, and closed the curtains, blocking out most of the light from the periodic lightning.   
“Thank you,” Levi said to me, with a smile I quickly returned.   
“I can stay until you fall asleep, if you want me to.”  
“Thank you, I’d like that.” 

I stayed there for a few hours. Even though Levi fell asleep, I stayed in case he needed me to. In case he woke up again. He looked so peaceful. Small breaths. His chest rose up and down slightly. I wish I could be that peaceful. He clutched the pillow in his hands, holding on for dear life. 

Damn. Link was right. I’m falling for the patient soon-to-be resident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked this chapter. I will try and get another chapter out tomorrow, so look forward to that! Please let me know if there is anything I can do to improve. THANK YOU ALL!!


	3. The Mistake

“Levi, do you have any parents we can call? Any family? After an amputation you will need people to help you,” Dr. Lincoln asked me.  
“No. My dad is dead, and my mother doesn’t speak to me. So no, I don’t have a support network. I’ve survived 6 years without them, and I don’t need them now.” I replied, biting back a sob. I remembered everything. At that moment, I remembered everything. The hurt I felt, all of it. I relived that moment 1000 times over.  
“Levi,” Nico asked, snapping his fingers. “Earth to Levi.”  
“Yeah sorry, carry on Dr,” I apologised, pushing all of those thoughts to the back of my mind.  
“Well you need brain surgery to remove the tumour-” Dr. Lincoln started.  
“A tumour that is in my occipital lobe, which if removed and damaged could lead to cortical blindness, which would immediately stop my dreams of becoming a surgeon. You also can’t do it at the moment because my body needs time to recover.” I interrupted. “Sorry for interrupting,”  
“Yes, but Dr. Shepherd is the best there is, and we will do all we can,” Dr. Lincoln told me.  
“I hope she is.” 

* * * 

“Hey!” Nico said, entering my room. “I need to check the incision sites.”  
“Go ahead,” I told him, lifting the cover to show him my stump of a leg, and then back to suturing I went.  
“Incision site looks good, no signs of infection,” Nico told me as he covered my leg up again.  
“Hey Nico, look at how good I am at suturing now!” I said excitedly, holding out the suturing kit.  
“Looks really good. You may be better than me now!” Nico replied, returning my excitedness. 

* * * * * 

Me and Levi were laughing when he suddenly went silent. The he started seizing.  
“Levi? LEVI!” I shouted. “I NEED SOME HELP IN HERE,”

I just froze. I’m an attending orthopedic surgeon, and I just froze. I forget everything. Link rushed in, and helped. When it stopped, Levi came around, but he fell asleep.  
“Are you okay Nico!” Link asked, turning to me, after sending the nurse back out of the room.  
“No...” I replied, still in shock. “I forgot how to do anything!”  
“It’s fine, just go rest. You stayed with him all night after the incident. Yes, before you say it, I already know.” 

I just walked out of the room, still in some sort of daze, into the on call room. 

* * * * *

I remember waking up, but I couldn’t see anything. Okay, this is weird. Then I remembered the brain tumor. The brain tumor in the occipital lobe.  
“I NEED HELP!” I shouted.  
“What is it Levi?” Dr. Lincoln asked, shortly after I heard footsteps. At least I think it was Dr. Lincoln. It sounds like him.  
“I can’t see anything!” I cried, starting to get really worried. I couldn’t see Dr. Lincoln’s face, but I think I knew what it was. Worry and concern.  
“Page Amelia Shepherd! 911!” Dr. Lincoln shouted.  
It took only a few minutes for what I think was Amelia Shepherd to run into the room.  
“What’s wrong?” She asked with concern.  
“He can’t see,” Link replied.  
“DAMNIT! We need to rush him into surgery, the tumor is probably invading the optic nerve.”

* * * * * 

We rushed Levi into surgery.  
“Amelia, are you sure you’ve got this?” Link asked me concerned.  
“I’ll be fine, right now I’m concerned with saving Levi’s eyesight!” I replied with haste.  
“Oh by the way Amelia, he starts his surgical residency at this hospital so no pressure,” Link replied nervously.  
“Link… SHUT UP!” I shouted. Okay so this surgery will only just determine the entire life prospects of someone, just brilliant.” 

* * * * * 

“Nico, calm down!” I told him. “You’re pacing and stressing yourself out.”  
“HOW CAN I CALM DOWN!” I shouted back. I know I shouldn’t shout, and I don’t mean to but I care about Levi, and he is having surgery which might cause him to go blind.  
“Okay, let’s go wait for him to get out of surgery.” 

* * * 

That was the longest 4 hours of my life. Then I saw Amelia walking towards us.  
“How is he?” I asked with urgency.  
“He is… fine. I managed to resect the whole tumor, but we won’t know if there was any damage until he wakes up,” Amelia told me.  
“When will that be?” I asked.  
“It should be in a few hours.”

I rushed around the Neuro ICU until I found Levi’s room. I opened the door to see Levi with his head bandaged up. He was still asleep. I took a seat and reached out to touch his hand. He looked so pale. I went to, but I couldn’t. 

I just looked on in concern. 

* * * 

It was hours before he woke up.  
“Nico...” Levi whispered. My head shot up from it’s resting position on my arms rested on the bed.  
“Levi! Are you okay? Can you see?” I asked worriedly.  
“Yeah, unless you’re a figment of my imagination, then I can see.”  
“I’m very real,” I said with a chuckle. 

Then I got the urge to kiss him. And I did. I felt his lips against mine. The best feeling ever. It wasn’t sexual, simply pure. And then I realised, he's a patient. I'm literally breaking the law. I felt my heart break. DAMN IT. 

* * * * * 

“Oh my god Levi I’m so sorry!” Nico said, moments after he kissed me.  
“Kiss me again. Please,” I asked with a blush.  
“We shouldn’t. I’m sorry Levi.”  
“Oh… okay.” 

Nico walked out.

That hurt. That hurt so bad. I didn’t even know I liked Nico, but that was the best kiss I’ve ever had. It felt like everything suddenly fell into place. And then when Nico basically said it was a mistake, I felt my heart break. 

I think I just laid there for a while. I just stared. 

I hate this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 chapters in one day! I hope you enjoy.


	4. A Wish

He just lies there. All day. Minimal conversation. He does what is told, he has his incision site checked, has his incision site on his head checked, and just lies there. All day. He doesn’t practice stitches, he doesn’t read anything. 

I did this. I shouldn’t have kissed him. I shouldn’t have, but nothing else has felt that right in a long time. I have been trying to distance myself, but every time I pass his room, my eyes are drawn, and for a moment, just a quick moment, I steal glances. He looks sad. 

“Lover’s quarrel Dr. Denial?” I heard from behind. It was Link.   
“Yeah… something like that,” I replied.   
“No seriously, what happened, you are moping and bringing down my vibe. I have positive vibes, I am happy today, cause of non-PG13 things that happened last night with Amelia-”  
“Stop stop I do not need to hear about this,” I told. “I kissed him.”   
“YOU WHAT!” Link shouted.  
“SSSSHHHHHH!” I commanded, gesturing to Link to be quiet. “Don’t announce it to the whole hospital!”  
Then Link’s pager went off, and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

* * * * *

“What happened?” I asked the nurse outside of Levi’s room.   
“Painful phantom limb syndrome,” She replied.  
“Well why didn’t you page Dr. Kim? He is the orthopedic surgeon on the case.”   
“The patient asked for, and I quote, ‘Anyone but Dr. Kim.’”

“What’s going on?” I asked Levi as I walked in the room.   
“IT HURTS!” Levi screamed in agony, hitting the space in the bed where his leg would have been.   
Phantom limb is bad, painful phantom limb is worse. And there is no cure. No specific medication to treat it.   
“I’m sorry Levi, there is nothing I can do. There are some medications we can try, but there I no specific medications.” I apologized.  
There was more screaming, as Levi buried his head is his pillow. He curled up into a ball and hugged a pillow.   
“Just go!” Levi said through gritted teeth. With a sigh, I walked out the room.   
“If he gets worse, then give him a sedative,” I told the nurse stationed in the neuro ICU. 

* * * * *

“What actually happened between you and Levi, because he was in agonizing pain and still managed to ask the nurse for anyone but you, so what did you do that was so bad?” I asked Nico, genuinely concerned.   
“Well you know I kissed him, and then I told him that we couldn’t do it anymore and then I left,” He replied.   
“Oh my god, that was an asshole move,” I told him, kinda disappointed. “You kissed him, and THEN LEFT!”   
“I KNOW!” Nico replied with equal volume.   
“SHUT UP!” Meredith shouted.   
“Oh hi Meredith!” I replied with a smile.   
“Okay, I don’t know why you too are shouting but shut it.”  
“Cause Nico kissed a patient.”  
“YOU CAN’T TELL ANYONE LINK!” Nico shouted.  
“Well don’t do it again!” Meredith told Nico. “That’s kinda against the law.” With that she began walking away. “OH! And Link, if you hurt Amelia in any way, I will kill you with my own two hands, understood?”   
“Yes Ma’am,” I replied with a smile.

* * * * * 

“When can I leave?” I asked. I just want to be done with this place. Well, I can’t be done with this place, I start my residency here soon. What I mean is that I want to be done with this place as a patient.   
“In about 2 weeks you can be discharged,” Dr. Shepherd told me with a sigh. “Over the next 2 weeks, you will be able to start working with a prosthesis, as your stump’s swelling has gone down very quickly.”  
“Okay, thank you Dr. Shepherd,” I replied with a sad smile. I just want to go home. I need to prepare for residency. 

They walked out, residents and interns in tow. Nico walked out too, with a quick smile. A week ago, I would have returned, but you don’t kiss someone first, then say that you shouldn’t have and then walk out. 

I’ve come to know most of the attendings throughout this. Dr Grey is the chief of general surgery, Dr. Pierce is the chief of cardiothoracic surgery, and Dr. Shepherd is the chief of neurosurgery. Lady chief trifecta. Dr. Grey operated on me the night of the accident, to stop me from bleeding from my insides, and Dr. Shepherd stopped me from becoming blind. Oh there’s also Dr. Lincoln, the chief of orthopedic surgery. Nico is a fellow, but is becoming an attending in a few months. 

Just 2 more weeks and I can stop being a patient there. Dr. Lincoln has taken over as the orthopedic surgeon on my case. He takes me to the prosthesis appointments. He stays outside the door, and runs in every time I fall. Thinks of me as his ‘little brother’. He is easy to joke around with. 

Nico still passes through my room. He smiles sadly every time. I’m not sure if he knows I know he does it. I want to stay mad at him, as bad at that sounds, but I can’t. I know it and he knows it that you can’t kiss a patient. And I’ll have to see him everyday in a few months. 

I wish it wasn’t like this, I really do, but it is. This is the reality of the situation, and I can’t change it. 

I wish I could. But I just can’t

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We hit 200 reads!!!!!! I'm so happy that so many people have read. And even though 200 hits is nothing to some people, it's everything to me. Thank you so much. Also, the next chapter will be the last for this story... BUT it is only the prequel, the new story will be coming out in the next few days. 
> 
> I hope you'll keep reading the next book! 
> 
> Thank you so much


	5. The End of the Beginning

I was hard at work. Writing all throughout my last day. I’ve finished my prosthetic appointments. By the end of the day today I will be just a normal person, and then in a few months, I will start my residency at this very hospital. One the bright side, I won’t get lost on my first day. 

I’ve perfected all the different suture techniques. Link (he asked me to call him Link, said that Dr. Lincoln was too stuffy) has been quizzing me on different ortho procedures and surgical techniques. Dr. Pierce said that I was the best non-resident that knows a lot about cardio she’s ever seen. Dr. Shepherd said that she’d love to have me on her service. Even Meredith Grey dropped in twice. 

So I am writing letters. Letters of thanks for the people who made my stay in hospital a little more bearable. I’ve finished all the letters for Dr. Link, Dr. Grey, Dr. Pierce, Dr. Shepherd, and now I’m moving on to the last letter. To Nico. 

To Dr. Nico Kim  
I’m sorry. I am so sorry. I treated you like crap, because I was scared. I was disowned by my mother for being gay. For the first time in a long time, everything felt right. It felt like everything was right, for that one moment. 

I’m coming back in a few months, so this isn’t goodbye. So, I guess I’ll see you around

Dr. Levi Schmitt  
X X X 

Folding it up, with all the other letters into envelopes. And just as I was finishing, a nurse came in with my clothes and discharge forms. Signing them with great haste, I went into the bathroom attached to my room to get dressed. 

It felt good to be back in my old clothes again. For the first time in weeks, I was in my real clothes. As I headed to the reception desk to hand in the discharge papers, I ran into Dr. Grey, Dr. Pierce and Dr. Shepherd. I handed them their letters. Dr. Pierce cried, Dr. Shepherd gave me a hug which Dr. Grey needed to pull off of me, because I could not breathe. With a smile I headed back off towards the reception desk. 

Just before I got to the desk, I ran into Link. I gave him his letter, and with a smile he said a quick thank you before being paged. 

I handed in the papers and then I saw him. 

* * * * * 

“Nico!” I heard a familiar voice call. It was Levi. He walked over to me with a letter and handed it to me. 

To Dr. Nico Kim  
I’m sorry. I am so sorry. I treated you like crap, because I was scared. I was disowned by my mother for being gay. For the first time in a long time, everything felt right. It felt like everything was right, for that one moment. 

I’m coming back in a few months, so this isn’t goodbye. So, I guess I’ll see you around

Dr. Levi Schmitt  
X X X 

He forgives me. He actually forgives me? I just looked on in astonishment. That was until he kissed me. He kissed me and all the feelings I felt the first time were back. The butterflies, the feeling that everything would be okay. That rush of euphoria that I’ve only ever felt kissing the one and only Levi Schmitt. 

“Now we are even,” Levi said, pulling away. “I’ll see you around.” 

And with that he was gone. Out the doors, into the bright Seattle outside.   
“Yeah, I’ll see you around,” I whispered to myself with a satisfied smile. If only I knew everything that would happen. 

That’s the beauty of life though, isn’t it? The not knowing. The spontaneity of human behavior, but knowing what I know now, that kiss ignited a match that ignited a shit show. 

The End, of the Beginning

Thanks for reading.


End file.
